Self-timing photographic-camera shutter



(No Model.) I v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

C. P. CALL.

SELF TIMING PHOTOGRAPHIU CAMERA SHUTTER.

No. 368,930. I Patented Aug. 30, 1887.

N. PETERS, mo-ulhn u mr. wnhiunon, D (L (No Model 2 Sheets'-Sheet' 2..

C. P. CALL.

SELF TIMING PHOTOGRAPHIO CAMERA SHUTTER. No. 368,930.

Patented Aug. 30, 1887.

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N. PETERS Photo-LHhugrapher. waxhin mn, [1C4 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

CHARLES P. CALL, OF BOYNE, MICHIGAN.

SELF-TIMING PHOTOGRAPHlC-CAM ERA SHUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,930, dated August30, 1887.

Application filed February 24,1887. Serial No. 228,717. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES P. CALL, of Boyne, in the county ofCharlevoix and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and usefulImprovements in Self-Timing Photographic-Camera Shutters; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in U that class of devices known asinstantaneous or timing shutters for photographic cameras, and itconsists in the improved construction and combination of parts of ashutter, which may be operated by meansof clock mechanism, therebyrendering the action more or less quick, as desired, or it may beoperated by means of air compressed in an elastic bulb; and it alsoconsists in a back or rear plate having an aperture, and which isadapted to be attached or secured to a tube connected to a camera; andit further consists in a series of circular or partly-circular platesforming a shutter, which is centrally pivoted to a winding post or stemand adapted to be instantaneously closed or opened by springs suitablysecured to the back or rear frame. I also employ a front plate or dial,upon which are printed or stamped seconds, minutes, or a fractionthereof, and an indicating-hand secured to a time-plate provided withratchetteeth and adapted to be controlled by an escapement and springsecured to the rear plate.

It further consists in the employment of stop-springs, formingprojection for more perfectly controlling the closing and opening of theshutters; and it further consists in a means whereby the closing of theshutter will be regulated by setting a hand adapted to be revolvedpartly over the front plate; and, further, it consists in certaindetails of construction and combination of parts, as will hereinafter bemore fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- A Figure 1 represents a front or plan view of myinvention, showing the indicator and part of the front plate cut away toshow the ratchetteeth, escapement, and operating-spring. Fig. 2 is asimilar view with the top plate removed, showing an inner shutter,slots, and catches. Fig. 3 is a rear View showing one of the pivotedshutters and ratchet teeth. Fig. 4 is a similar view, portion being cutaway to show the shutteroperating spring and the catchsprings. Fig. 5 isa side elevation showing part of a camera and my device attachedthereto. Fig. 6 is a similar view of my device in cross-section; andFig. 7 is a rear view with the back plate, D, removed.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a portion of a camera, and Bits connectingtube, to which my device is attached. I however (10 notwish to confine myself to the precise means of attaching the plate D, asI may secure the said plate immediately behind the tube and within thecamera.

D is the rear plate, to which all the other plates are secured orconnected, and is provided with an aperture, D, near its upper portion,whereby the same may be secured upon, slipped over, or telescoped withinthe tube 13.

To the plate D is suitably secured a circular frame or projection, E,which terminates at its upper portion in the two vertical pieces E E,and to said frame is adapted to be secured a front plate, K, made tocorrespond in contour to said frame. Below the aperture D, I also form acircular aperture, F, having a segment of its circle passing over thecenter. of the rear or back plate. To the rear, and nearly in front ofsaid aperture F, I secure the plates G and G, and between which ispivoted a winding-post, H, having its bearings on the plates G and G,and in the space formed by said plate is secured to the winding-post anordinary clock-spring, II, as clearly shown in Figs. 4. and 6.

To the upper portion of the plate D, and between strips E E, I secure ina cut -away portion an escapement and operating-spring, 9, adapted toengage with ratchet-teeth formed on the periphery of the time-plate, tobe hereinafter described.

ICO

Above the plate G, and secured to the wind ing-post H, is aratchet-wheel, h, in which the ratchet engages with a spring and pawl,h, pivoted to the shutter I, made circular in form, and having a segmentof its circle cut away, as clearly shown in Figs. 2, G, and 7, the saidshutter being provided with a slot, 2', adapted to engage with thespringproj ectinglugs 1; '5 in the rear plate, I). To the front plate,K, and underneath the same, I looselypivot arevolving time-plate, L, towhich is also secured a hand or indicator, L, which is so pivoted thatthe indicator will revolve with said timeplate and in front and uponthe'surface of the plate K.

The time-plate L is made similar to the shutter I, with the exceptionthat I form upon its periphery for a portion of its circumferenceratchet-teeth Z, adapted to engage with the escapement 5/. To the underside of the timeplate L, and near its edge, is a lug or proj ection, 0,which is adapted when the shutter is being revolved to engage with theshutter I.

Between the shutters I and time-plate L, I place washers for the purposeof lessening the friction, and thereby allowing the shutter to revolvemore smoothly. On the front plate or dial Iform or place thereonfigures,whereby the time in seconds, minutes, or a fraction thereof canbe computed, and which also regulates the time for keeping the shuttersopened or closed, which will be clearly described hereinafter inexplaining the operation of my device To the back of the rearsupporting-plate I secure springs J J J, provided with knobs 7t k, andhaving projecting lugs passing through holes in the rear plate andadapted to engage with the slot on the shutter I. The said shutters areadapted to revolve around the winding-post H, which is provided with astationary or removable key.

Opposite to the spring J is a similar spring, J, described, but whichdiffers from the springs J and J, as it will have a tendency of keepingits lugs out of engagement without first being pressed down, and is forthe purpose of holding the shutter open while posing the subject.

The operation of my device is as follows: Immediately before a pictureis to be taken the shutter I is closed-v2. 6., covering the aperture inthe rear plate-and the slot is in en gagement with the lugs connected tothe spring J or J, and the spring H is wound up, the time-plate L beingclosed, and its ratchetteeth are in position to engage with theescapenient immediately upon the shutter being released. Just beforeexposure I place the indicating-hand on one of the figures on the frontplate, so as to regulate and indicate the time of exposure. I then liftup the spring J, (which may be operated by compressed air :in a bulb orotherwise,) which releases the lug and allows the shutter to revolveuntil it engages with the lug connected to the spring J.

GGBBQO The purpose of employing two lu 's is that when the first lug isdisengaged it would not have time to spring back and catch in the lug,as the shutter is revolved instantaneously. As soon as the lug J isreleased the projection 0 on the time-plate L engages with the shutterI, when both are revolved, the teeth being immediatel y in engagementwith the escapemcnt, which regulates the rapidity of. revolution. Itwill be understood that just before the shutters are to be revolved theteeth on the timeplate L are about to engage with the escapement; butshould an instantaneous action be desired the teeth or hand will be soplaced that they will not engage with the cseapement. To illustrate:

On the left-hand upper portion of the dialplate are placed figuresindicating one-fourth, one-eighth, or one-sixteenth of a second,commencing at the lower portion of the dial, and the ratchet-teeth onthe revolving plate correspond therewith-e'. 0., the tooth at the upperleft-hand corner will either represent onefourth, one-eighth, orone-sixteenth of a second, so that when the indicating-hand is placed atthe second mark on the lower portion of the dial it will be seen thatthe last tooth will only engage with the escapement, which will pass itin just one-fourth, one-eighth, 820., of a second, thereby closing theshutter in that time. Should it, however, be desired to have a longerexposure, the hand will be placed at the third, fourth, or any markwhich wlll 1ncrease-the time so many fractions of a second; or, if it isdesired that an instantaneous cxposure be given, the indicating-handwill be placed so that none of the teeth will come in engagement.

It will be seen, that by the above arrange ment of the several parts aninstantaneous action may be had; or when it is desired to have a moregradual or longer time for exposure, the hand passing over the dial canbe so placed as to regulate the revolution of the Shutter.

The means herein described are simple and effective in their operation,can be easily made and put together, and when any of the parts are worncan be easily replaced by new ones.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a photographic camera, the combination, with a plate, D, a frameand front plate forming a dial, an interior shutter,and operating clockmechanism, ofa time-plate provided with a ratchetadapted to engage withan escapement, spring, and balance-wheel, and catches J J, substantiallyas shown and described.

2. In a photographic camera, a front and rear plate and intermediateshutter, and time plate having teeth upon its periphery adapted toengage with an escapement and adapted to open the shutterinstantaneously, in combina tion with a spring and windingposts, andmeans for regulating the revolution of the ill ' scribed.

3. In a photographic camera, the combination of the rear and frontplate, the front plate having figures placed thereon, and a hand securedto a windingpost, the intermediate plates partly cut away, andratchetteeth adapted to engage with an escapement, substantially asshown and described.

4. In a photographic camera, the combina tion of a rear plate and afront dial-plate and intermediate shutter, and time-plate provided witha ratchet, said plates being operated by clock mechanism and regulatedso as to be instantaneously or otherwise opened or closed, substantiallyas set forth.

5. In a photographic camera, the combination of an inner plate and anouter indicatingplate, the intermediate time-plate and shutter, slot 6,lugs 1', adapted to engage with said slot and secured to a spring,winding-post H, and escapement-spring, and balance-wheel actuated toengage with teeth on the time-plate, whereby a shutter may be closedinstantaneously or slowly, and apertures formed in said plate adapted toregister with the tube, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a photographic camera, the combination of a front and rear plate,and intermediate revolving plates, one of said plates be ing providedwith ratchet-teeth adapted to engage with an escapement, and indicatinghand and dial, whereby the opening of the shutter can be turned for aninstantaneous or slow movement, substantially as described.

7. The combination, in a shutter for photographic cameras, of a frontplate and connecting under plate having ratchet-teeth, shutters to beautomatically and instantaneously opened or closed, and a dialrepresenting fractions of a second corresponding with the number ofteeth on the revolving plate, and by setting the indicator a shutter maybe instantaneously opened or closed, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 45 my own I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES P. CALL.

Witnesses:

J ULIUs SoLGER, O. E. DUFFY.

